Ford Super Duty pickups are super for smugglers

[dascrow]

If the Ford Escape Hybrid is "The Candidate's Choice," then the automaker's big, bad Super Duty trucks are "The Smuggler's Choice." You see, unfortunately for truck owners, drug and human traffickers are "choosing" to steal them from the public to use in their nefarious endeavors. The reasons are simple: they're big (plenty of contraband can be carried), rugged (they can handle running off-road in the border areas), powerful (handy when running from the police), and apparently easy to make off with (they can be "stolen with a screwdriver" according to the Houston PD). In 2007, 1,245 F-250 and F-350 Super Duties vanished from Houston driveways, a forty percent increase over 2006, and notable when you consider overall car thefts in the city were down. In response, Ford is enhancing vehicle security by using keys embedded with chips required to activate new 2008 trucks' electronic ignition systems. Of course, that may not help win back former owners whose trucks have already been stolen. The Chronicle article tells of one victim whose actions spoke volumes. He switched to Chevy.

[Source: The Houston Chronicle], by Alex Nunez
Ford Super Duty pickups are super for smugglers - Autoblog

[vitalidle]

Yeah I was just reading that a little while ago as someone had posted that same article up. Glad I live up north

[525]

My 97 sits in the driveway for extended periods of time ie. between hunting trips and the need for a pickup. It's not a daily driver.
What would you guys suggest for a simple disableing of the vehicle while sitting in the driveway....

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by 525

My 97 sits in the driveway for extended periods of time ie. between hunting trips and the need for a pickup. It's not a daily driver.
What would you guys suggest for a simple disableing of the vehicle while sitting in the driveway....

just pull the small wire off of the starter solenoid near the passanger battery...that will make it not crank over...

[vitalidle]

Marc I know this is a little off topic! Normal for here, My question as I saw you post in another thread that ford didn't go to the pats system on the superduty's till 08? If that so I probobly didn't need the bypass module on my remote starter then?

[SMKSTAX]

Just another notch for Ford Superdutys being the best in another category!! Even though it's a negative one.

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by vitalidle

Marc I know this is a little off topic! Normal for here, My question as I saw you post in another thread that ford didn't go to the pats system on the superduty's till 08? If that so I probobly didn't need the bypass module on my remote starter then?

yup....u didnt need it....its probably there because your system will probably work on excursions too...

[vitalidle]

Well that was my bad as my previous two ford gassers I owned had the pats so I just assumed the superduty did also. I installed my own remote starter so I could have saved some money and time if I would have known. Well its a good thing they are going to the pats now with all the thefts. Seems to me they would have from the get go being its one of more expensive vehicles ford produces.

[525]

Marc, thx for the info....525

[TXbroker]

So all the above being said. How would you set up an 05?
Alarms dont work!